UK court sentences those arrested at far-right protests

The consequences that the fake news can cause are unpredictable. Following a fake news story inciting violence against Islamic immigrants, the far right in the United Kingdom has organized depredations and spread violence. Hundreds have been arrested and three have already had sentences determined by the courts this Tuesday (7).

Are they:

• Derek Drummond (58 years old) sentenced to 3 years in prison for assault;
• Declan Geiran (29 years old) sentenced to 30 months for arson;
• Liam Riley (41) sentenced to 20 months for racially aggravated disorderly conduct for offending immigrants.

Violence

The wave of violence caused by the far right was motivated by lies being spread on social media about a massacre that killed three children. The incident occurred on July 30, in Southport, near Liverpool, when a minor fatally stabbed three girls aged 6, 7 and 9 and also left eight other children and two adults injured in a dance class.

read more: Far-right protests erupt in the UK and more than 90 are arrested

Social media has criminally claimed that the perpetrator of the crimes was a Muslim immigrant, which has led to a wave of demonstrations and vandalism in several cities in the United Kingdom. The main targets are immigration centers, which are currently under police protection.

The courts decided to reveal the suspect’s name in an attempt to calm the actions and prevent the persecution of immigrants. According to the police, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana is British, born in Cardiff, of Rwandan descent and with no connection to Islam. He is accused of the murders and attempted murder of the other victims.

Initially his name was kept confidential because he was a minor, but the judge in the case decided to release the name and origin of the accused in advance, since he is about to reach the age of majority.

The measure, however, had little practical effect and protests are scheduled for this week, which have already mobilized thousands of police officers.

*With information from international agencies